WEBVTT SHANNON: IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU DON'T THINK A WHOLE LOT ABOUT THE TRASH CANS YOU USE WHEN YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THE STREET. BUT, NEXT TIME YOU THROW AWAY A COFFEE CUP OR RECYCLE A POP CAN IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH YOU MAY STOP AND MARVEL AT THE SPACE-AGE SCIENCE BUILT IN TO THAT TRASH BI REPORTER: TRASH REMOVAL. IT HAPPENS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU 365 DAYS A WEEK. YOU RARELY NOTICE IT FIRST THING, DON'T CALL IT A TRASH CAN. >> THESE ARE BIG BELLY SOLAR POWER TRASH COMPACTORS, FIRST THEY'RE POWERED BY THE SUN. REPORTER: SOMETHING YOU PROBABLY NEVER THOUGHT OF BEFORE, BUT A TRADITIONAL DOWNTOWN TRASH CAN IS FILLED UP AND GETS EMPTIED UP TO FIVE TIMES EVERY DAY. TIME-CONSUMING FOR THE PITTSBURG DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIPS CLEAN TEAM THOSE ARE THE GUYS IN THE YELLOW , SHIRTS. >> THESE TRASH COMPACTORS, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED, NEED TO BE CHANGED EVERY FEW DAYS AS OPPOSED TO MULTIPLE TIMES PER DAY. REPORTER: INTRIGUED? SO IS TY. >> HOW DOES IT WORK? DOES IT LET THE CITY KNOW? REPORTER: YES, YES THEY DO. INSTEAD OF HAVING THE CLEAN TEAM TAKE TIME TO CHECK IF THEY' FULL, THE COMPACTORS SEND OUT A SIGNAL TO CLEAN TEAM'S SMART PHONE APP LETTING THEM KNOW IT'S TIME TO EMPTY IT. FREEING THE CLEAN TEAM UP FOR THEIR OTHER DUTIES. THEY KEEP THE SIDEWALKS CLEAN, -- >> THEY KEEP THE SIDEWALKS CLEAN, THEY CAN FOCUS ON THAT, THEY PROVIDE HOSPITALITY ASSISTANCE TO VISITORS TO DOWNTOWN WHO MIGHT NEED DIRECTIONS, AN IDEA OF WHERE TO PARK. IT JUST FREES UP THEIR TIME AND ALLOWS THEM TO BE MORE EFFICIENT. REPORTER: EFFICIENCY MEANS MONEY SAVED. CITIZENS LIKE THAT AND THEY LIKE CLEAN STREETS. THANKS TO THE SMARTEST TRASH CANS YOU'VE EVER SEEN. >> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO RECYCLE, KEEP THE CITY CLEAN. REPORTER: SO YOU LIKE IT? I LOVE IT ACTUALLY. >>I LOVE IT ACTUALLY. SHANNON: THE ALCOA FOUNDATION PAID FOR THE SOLAR COMPACTORS THEY COST TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THERE ARE 10 COMPACTORS DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW. SOMETHING ELSE YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOUR DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH TRASH. THESE CIGARETTE BUTT URNS ARE ACTUALLY RECYCLING BINS. THEY COLLECT 100 POUNDS OF BUTTS EVERY MONTH SEND THEM TO A RECYCLER WHO TURNS THE FILTERS